Planting Herb Seeds in the Fall

Herbs hang from the rafters on the side porch, while others are dried and stored in glass jars or in the freezer. Herb vinegars are mellowing, while jellies and wreaths of herbs wait to be made. As the days become shorter and nights a little cooler, thoughts turn to winter.

Still there is time to plant herbs in the garden , not all herbs, but herbs that prefer cool weather and some perennials. Parsley, Chervil and Cilantro all prefer cool temperatures. Parsley is a biennial living two years before dying. Choose curly or the more flavorful Italian Flat Leaf. Soak the seeds overnight to hasten sprouting. Depending upon your area and the severity of the winter, one should be able to get several cuttings before the plant dies back for winter. Mark where you plant it so you won't forget where it is in the Spring. 

Chervil should be planted in filtered shade in rich soil. This herb likes plenty of water. Thin seedlings to 9-12 inches apart. For a good supply plant every two weeks. Chervil is most flavorful during cool weather and just before flowering. Seedlings can be transplanted just before a hard frost and placed inside a cold frame for use through winter. In the Spring , remove the cover , the plant will grow two feet tall and burst into blooms.

Coriander seeds which produce Cilantro or Chinese Parsley should be sown every two weeks until frost. Harvest the young leaves when the plants are six inches tall , picking only the top few leaves to encourage growth. 

Dill and Fennel should be planted directly into the ground, preferring rich, well drained soil and full sun. Thin the plants to 12-18 inches apart and keep well watered. Harvest the young leaves the same way as Cilantro. If Fall plantings of Chervil , Dill and Fennel go to seed, you may be treated to seedlings of the herb come Spring.

Cool weather is necessary for Florence Fennel ( finocchio ) to form a bulb. How soon cold weather arrives will determine the size of the edible bulb base. Very cold weather will stop the bulb's growth. Still there is time to enjoy the leaves of both varieties of Fennel.

Plant perennial herb seeds in rows with identifying markers, including Agrimony, Lady's Bedstraw, Salad Burnet, Catnip, Hyssop, Lovage, Sweet Cicely and Sweet Woodruff. I have planted Lavender Seeds in the Fall with a covering of leaves or pine needles. Leave the area undisturbed until June, and then gently brush the leaves away to find a small forest of Lavender seedlings. Transplant to an area where they can grow to size. 

Fall in the Herb Garden

Autumn is a busy time in the herb garden. What with harvesting and drying, dividing plants and deciding which plants to over winter indoors, which to protect outdoors and which to leave alone.

 

Basil is an annual and this time of year it is trying to go to seed and preparing to die. To prolong basil as long as possible, pinch , pinch , pinch the flower heads off that are trying to form. Once the flowers are allowed to form the plant will stop growing.

Basil loves warm weather, the hotter the better, so be aware of frost warnings. The first frost will kill any basil plant left unprotected. If frost is called for harvest the leaves immediately. Basil loses much of its flavor when dried, so freeze the leaves ...they will turn brown , but will retain their flavor when used in tomato sauce and other cooked dishes.

Another way to save the flavor of basil is by turning the fresh leaves into pesto, then freezing the pesto in ice cube trays. Store the frozen pesto cubes in a freezer bag, removing a cube at a time as needed. 

A basil stem or two can be broken off a plant, brought indoors and placed in a container of water. After a week or two , roots should form. Plant in a commercial potting mix and place in a sunny window. This will ensure fresh basil through winter.

Chive plants should be divided in the fall. When dividing also plant two pots with six or seven bulbs in each. Bring one pot indoors now to provide chives through December. Leave the other outside. In December , reverse the pots. Place in a sunny window and by January a new supply of chives should be ready for use. In the Spring plant both pots of chives back in the ground.

Depending upon the severity of the winter and the age of the plant, judicious cuttings can be taken through December and January from thyme, winter savory and oregano. Some herbs are deciduous, which means they lose their leaves in the winter, Sage is one. Harvest sage lightly in September  the first year. In following years two cuttings are feasible. I have an old, woody sage and manage to get a few leaves in November for the Thanksgiving Turkey and a few more in December for the Christmas Goose.

Lemon Balm, Salad Burnet, Catnip, Agrimony, Our Lady's Bedstraw, Sweet Cicely, Wormwood and Mint are all perennial herbs that can be divided in either the Fall or Spring.